Silage maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings emergence as influenced by soil compaction treatments and contact pressures

Abstract

Soil compaction caused by mechanical force affects the vegetative and generative plant growth. Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of soil compaction treatments and soil contact pressures on bulk density, penetration resistance and silage maize emergence in a clay-loam soil. Soil compaction treatments were applied while planting as follows: Compaction on furrow surface (F-surface), compaction on furrow bo�om (F-bo�om), compaction on inter row (I-row), and non-extra compaction as a control (C). The soil contact pressures of 0.025, 0.051 and 0.076 MPa were applied while the control was 0.0085 MPa. Significant differences between soil compaction treatments and contact pressures were recorded in bulk density, penetration resistance and silage maize emergence. Percentage of emerged seedlings increased as the soil contact pressure was increased slightly. The lowest mean percentage of emerged seedlings (52.63%) was obtained with 0.076 MPa contact pressure in F-surface treatment and the highest mean value (81.58%) was obtained with 0.025 MPa contact pressure in F-bo�om compaction treatment. The control treatment gave the 69% mean value under the non-irrigated condition.Keywords: soil compaction treatments; soil contact pressures; soil physical properties; maize emergence 290PLANT SOIL ENVIRON., 51, 2005 (7): 289-295 through August rainfall was less than 360 mm in Minnesota (USA). A similar study was performed by Gameda et al. (1983) who found that when May through September rainfall was less than 360 mm in Quebec (Canada), corn yield increased as tire-soil contact pressure was increased slightly. Above the 530 mm rainfall, corn yield decreased as tire-soil contact pressure was increased.Some researchers explained that soil compaction by traffic might have an effect on yield. Ngunjiri and Siemens (1995) concluded that the corn yield was affected by wheel traffic compaction. The yield was found significantly lower on entire plot compaction treatment than the yield from no wheel compaction on rows and between rows compaction treatments. Similar results were presented by Bayhan et al. (2002). Honsson and Reeder (1994) reported that repeated wheel traffic on agricultural soils in seven different countries of Europe and North America caused 14% crop yield loss. As penetrometer resistance increased, mean emergence date was delayed and percentage of emerged seedling decreased. Bilbro and Wanjura (1982), Unger and Kaspar (1994) came to similar conclusions. They suggested that field traffic treatments resulted in soil compaction and decreased yield.Many others examined the effect of soil compaction on crop growth and yield. In some of these studies, compactions were applied on inter-rows, furrow surface, and then yields were evaluated and compared. Effects of furrow bottom compaction on second crop silage maize germination as well as the other compaction treatments with different soil contact pressures have not been studied sufficiently so far.In this study, effects of different soil compaction treatment...

Effects of soil compaction on cereal yield

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Design and experiment of the pneumatic pressure control device for no-till planter

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